Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Sound Affairs
Sherman Cymru, 25 Feb 2009, 8pm
**
Putting musicians on stage with dancers works. In his latest work, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, new young Brazilian choreographer Jean Abreu explores the idea of a unique meeting place, accompanying four male dancers on stage with the Mavron string Quartet. The result is a visionary collision of styles and disciplines.
Abreu’s idea was to create place where two people could engage in a chance meeting where a fleeting moment could result in a new friendship. The dance captures this sense of opportunity throughout. His inspiration was the public space - based on scenes from London’s Trafalgar Square. The four dancers represent a cut-slice of society - the old man, the yob, the tramp and the foreigner - who jostle and stumble into each other with a hostility familiar to a busy city scene.
Composed by Charlie Barber, the score was inspired by research into public spaces across the globe such as Venice Beach in LA. The strings give a light ‘busking’ element to the piece, and their interaction with the dancers on stage brings out the importance of a harmonious connection between music and dance.
As choreographer and director Abreu shows promising future talent. His first production since training at London’s Laban Contemporary Dance, Abreu brings a mixture of dancing styles to the floor, including Brazilian martial art Capoeira (CORR) to his own character - the homeless man - making the opening scene with his monkey-like stretches wild and captivating. The movements throughout are lucid and earthy - reflecting the urban backdrop and merging of cultures found in a public space. Christopher Rook is truly outstanding as the hooded youth, flipping effortlessly into one-handed air-suspensions and break-dancing into rhythmic pop-locking.
But Abreu’s piece dwindles in its inability to propel the story forward - once we get to know each character they are barely developed beyond the stereotype and could have been given much more depth.
As the dance progresses the characters begin to help and support each other in their individual journeys - offering opportunity for some touching duets. The message behind this transformation from hostility to understanding and unity seems somewhat predictable. The moral seems to be - if we could help each other in these public spaces society would be a better place.
There are still some gems of original choreography - the bench scene with three dancers trying to avoid each others’ personal space is a situation everyone can relate to. Abreu, not being in this piece, does better in his role of choreographer outside of the dance - and he admits it was difficult to juggle occupying both the role of the dancer while stepping back to choreograph and direct.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams travels to London’s The Place . His next endeavour is hotly awaited.
